even lucifer was an angel once (but innocence was made to be corrupted)

    𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.
          𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳
          𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
          𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴
          𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴
          𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
          𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴
          𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦
          𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦
                                             -𝙒.𝙎. 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙬𝙞𝙣

『••✎••』

Albedo was thankful for everything he had, and wished it didn't end like this.

He could never - 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 never - forgive himself if it were to end like this.

"Traveler..." The alchemist calls as he tries to put everything under his weight; tried to tie everything and bury it deep down like he had all those times before.

Yet he couldn't. He closed his eyes shut, resting his hands on his knees as he bent down, feeling the cold of Dragonspine. He couldn't help but wish he were with his friends (were they friends? He could only assume so, as he feels that way towards them, and while he avoided too much social interactions with them, he feels regret for such) down in the city which he came to love.

A swish of red in his vision helps him remember of his adoptive little sister.

When Rhinedottir left him, he had been taken under Miss Alice's wing. And, naturally, he became close to the little ball of sunshine that was Klee - Miss Alice's young daughter.

He bathes in the calming memory of the times he spent reading a story to Klee as her comfortable room was lit in moonlight, or the hugs Klee gives him whenever he were to leave for Dragonspine, or the fond scolding he tries to give to Klee to reprimand her of her explosive tendencies.

He could also reminisce the time when Klee sulked in the solitary confinement, before becoming her cheery self when she could leave again. A small chuckle erupts from his lips; it was shaky, uneven and was obviously strained, but it also held fondness and love.

He indeed loved Klee. He loved her very much, and felt every bit of brotherly need to protect her.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘, Albedo muses, that he wouldn't be able to protect her when he would be the danger towards her.

A thud to the cold, snowy ground that resonates through the almost empty winter wonderland indicates the ash blond male had collapsed. He felt the cold of the white snow seep through his layered clothing, and he felt his vision blur while his breathing labored.

Is this how it were to end for him? Not his life, no, but the him as Albedo the Chief Alchemist, or Albedo the Genius (though he never thought he were a 'genius'), or Albedo the Head of the Investigation Team, or Albedo who drew for Xingqiu's written novels. He couldn't help but mourn over the loss of himself to the corruption that was born into him.

He is pulled away from his thoughts when he remembers a vibrant green girl; very passionate, dedicated and smart. Ah, Sucrose, his beloved assistant.

He never failed to be enthusiastic whenever the green haired alchemist succeeds in her endeavors, though he has troubles showing it.

Her enthusiasm towards bio alchemy was always understandable, seeing as she seemed insecure about her ears, yet he had always wanted to comment on how said ears doesn't make her weird; if anything, it made her even more endearing. But alas, he has run out of time and he deeply regrets not being able to speak with her more.

He ponders about what she'd think, when she sees him like this. Would she call him a monster? Would she be afraid? Would she back away, leaving him?

Well, nonetheless, he would never blame her. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳. Not when the monster he'll become was too dangerous.

'Mr. Albedo!' He could already hear her soft voice. How he wishes he could hear his friends' voice right now.

He clutches the snow, frustration finally settling in. He has to push this demon down, he has to stop whatever is flowing through his blood. Rhinedottir may have planned this for him, but he will not allow his fate to be dictated.

He still has his research to do, still has Klee and Miss Alice to come home to, still has to help the traveler find his sibling as well as do research with him, still has to help with Timeaus and Sucrose's research. He still has so many things to do.

He still has to hear more about Lisa's never ending perspectives that helps him out when he's in a stump.

He still wants to witness Acting Grand Master Jean actually become the official Grand Master.

He still has to discover the truth of this world.

"There... really is never enough time." He speaks in a strained voice, fighting back the corruption that was slowly taking over.

Is this what Durin felt when Alchemist Gold turned him into a monster?

He gets on his knees, tears of frustration hovering over his intense teal eyes.

No, no, not yet, please, no.

Albedo's eyes shut tightly, his heart heavy, as he clutches a hand over his chest, clutching his coat with gloved fingers. His whole body felt restrained, and Durin's blood that flowed in him had never felt so prominent and noticeable as it is now.

Durin had attempted to destroy Mondstadt once before - it was the time the Anemo Archon had woken up to protect his people - will the Archon of Freedom have to do that again, but with him? Will he be written down in history as Albedo, 'the one who (almost) destroyed the city'?

𝘕𝘰, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦. 𝘕𝘰.

"Traveler... Please, stop me." He felt himself sob out; he had never felt so much emotion before.

He felt helpless. No, he 𝘸𝘢𝘴 helpless.

"Albedo!" A high pitched call catches his attention even when his ears felt like it was filled with cotton. His head lifts up and whips towards the source of the call, the motion making him dizzy.

It was the traveler and his floating companion.

He had never felt such relief before.

"Albedo! Oh, Albedo why are you glowing with purple?!" Paimon screams as she approaches him. "It almost feels like..."

"That sword that we helped you with..." Aether continues as he looks at Albedo's crouched figure while Paimon audibly gasped.

"Albedo! Oh no, are you hurt?!" She gasped.

"Durin's blood.." The teal eyed male starts with the little breath he has left. "Flows through my veins."

"Then that means..." Paimon's voice wavers. "No, no, please tell me this isn't what Paimon thinks it is!"

"Traveler." Albedo stands up, swaying on his feet but managing to stand nonetheless.

"Kill me."

The silence was loud, ringing in Albedo's ears as the traveler and Paimon looked mortified with just the thought of killing him. He felt his heart warm at the thought that he was that important.

"Kill me," He repeats. "If you don't, I'll lose control. I'll destroy Mondstadt, destroy everything. And I don't want that. I want to die as myself; Albedo the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, and not as the one who almost destroys his beloved city."

He opens his arms, and the traveler could see it visibly shaking.

"Kill me." He says with a serene smile.